1st Advantage MortgageThe median Santa Fe County household earns $79,071, and 12% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's New Mexico license first.
On this page
- Who lives in Santa Fe County
- What Santa Fe County households earn
- Housing costs in Santa Fe County
- Work, industries and travel time in Santa Fe County
- Santa Fe County towns compared
- The counties around Santa Fe County
- Room for a loan payment in Santa Fe County
- Santa Fe County households compared
- What the numbers mean for Santa Fe County borrowers
- Checklist for Santa Fe County applicants
- Who licenses lenders for Santa Fe County residents
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Santa Fe County
Roughly 156,105 residents live in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, 3rd by population among the state's 33 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 1,910 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 82 per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Santa Fe, NM metropolitan area. Of the 53 Census places inside Santa Fe County, Santa Fe leads by population with about 89,019; 2 of the 53 are incorporated.
What Santa Fe County households earn
Santa Fe County households have a median income of $79,071 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 3rd of 32 in New Mexico.
| Band | Santa Fe County | Compared with New Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.9% | -5.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 38.0% | -2.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 25.9% | +2.9 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 13.1% | +5.3 pts |
About 23% of households earn under $35,000, while 39% clear $100,000. Census counts 12.0% of Santa Fe County residents in poverty, against 17.8% across New Mexico. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.487 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Santa Fe County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Housing costs in Santa Fe County
A typical Santa Fe County rental runs $1,389 a month including utilities, which is 30% above New Mexico. 51% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 29% spend half or more. With a median value of $446,300, a typical Santa Fe County house costs 5.6 times what the median household earns in a year. 72% of Santa Fe County households own their home and 28% rent. Median construction year: 1989.
| Home costs | Santa Fe County | New Mexico | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,389/mo | $1,067/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $446,300 | $248,100 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 72% | 70% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 51% | 50% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 33% | 29% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 10% | 12% | n/a |
When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Work, industries and travel time in Santa Fe County
By the Census industry count, 23% of employed Santa Fe County residents work in education and health care and 17% in professional and administrative services. Professional and administrative services stands out: 17% of workers here, versus 13% statewide. The survey's unemployment rate for Santa Fe County averages 5.3% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 6.0%). About 68% drive to work alone and 13% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Only 4.2% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry | Share of Santa Fe County workers | vs New Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.1% | -2.6 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 17.3% | +4.4 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 12.3% | +2.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.8% | -0.9 pts |
| Public administration | 9.0% | +1.6 pts |
| Construction | 7.6% | 0.0 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Santa Fe County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Santa Fe County towns compared
The table lists the 14 largest of 53 Census places in Santa Fe County, by population. Together all 53 hold about 144,406 people, so roughly 7% of residents live outside any named place. Las Campanas has the highest median household income on the list ($204,922) and Valle Vista the lowest ($36,635), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in San Ildefonso Pueblo ($635) and steepest in Cañoncito ($3,011). None of the 53 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe | city | 89,019 | $73,482 | $1,463 | 10 mi |
| Española | city | 10,473 | $47,667 | $829 | 34 mi |
| Eldorado at Santa Fe | CDP | 5,619 | $106,633 | $2,526 | 2 mi |
| La Cienega | CDP | 3,543 | $85,250 | $1,139 | 10 mi |
| Agua Fria | CDP | 2,898 | $65,101 | $1,158 | 11 mi |
| Chimayo | CDP | 2,390 | $56,484 | $873 | 33 mi |
| Pojoaque | CDP | 2,327 | $74,028 | $951 | 26 mi |
| Las Campanas | CDP | 2,119 | $204,922 | n/a | 15 mi |
| Nambe | CDP | 2,035 | $59,375 | $1,229 | 27 mi |
| Tres Arroyos | CDP | 1,926 | $87,841 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Tano Road | CDP | 1,586 | $183,162 | n/a | 15 mi |
| Cuartelez | CDP | 1,512 | $114,151 | n/a | 33 mi |
| El Rancho | CDP | 1,451 | $80,417 | $1,070 | 27 mi |
| Thunder Mountain | CDP | 1,366 | $47,309 | n/a | 32 mi |
The counties around Santa Fe County
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (31 to 67 miles). Los Alamos County leads the group on income ($147,139), San Miguel County trails ($49,431), and Santa Fe County out-earns 4 of the six.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe County | - | $79,071 | $1,389/mo | 72% |
| Los Alamos County, NM | 31 mi | $147,139 | $1,375/mo | 75% |
| Bernalillo County, NM | 51 mi | $69,473 | $1,144/mo | 65% |
| Sandoval County, NM | 53 mi | $86,636 | $1,427/mo | 84% |
| San Miguel County, NM | 65 mi | $49,431 | $823/mo | 73% |
| Torrance County, NM | 66 mi | $57,842 | $872/mo | 82% |
| Mora County, NM | 67 mi | $53,663 | $887/mo | 87% |
Room for a loan payment in Santa Fe County
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Santa Fe County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Median income divided by twelve: $6,589 before taxes
- Rent at the median, $1,389, takes 21% of that
- $917: what a 35% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- 45% debt-to-income limit: $1,576 left for all other debt payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Santa Fe County's.
Santa Fe County households compared
Degree holders: 46% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 8.9%, against 9.6% for New Mexico.
| Indicator | Santa Fe County | All of New Mexico | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.7 | 39.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 46.1% | 31.0% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.2% | 12.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.9% | 9.6% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.2% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 18.4% | 12.2% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 17.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.3% | 6.0% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Santa Fe County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 29.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 39.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 17.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.5% |
| 60+ min | 6.7% |
What the numbers mean for Santa Fe County borrowers
Based on the Santa Fe County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- 13% mobile homes. Many are not titled as real estate, so home-equity options may not apply; an unsecured loan is the usual route.
- Fixed incomes. Santa Fe County's median age is 48.7. Social Security and pensions count as income when documented.
- Tight rental budgets. With 51% of Santa Fe County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
Checklist for Santa Fe County applicants
Quick steps for Santa Fe County:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Verify the New Mexico license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Who licenses lenders for Santa Fe County residents
Consumer lenders serving Santa Fe County are licensed by the state, not the county; in New Mexico that is the New Mexico Financial Institutions Division. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. The New Mexico guide covers state rules in more detail.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the New Mexico guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Santa Fe County?
$79,071 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $64,059 for New Mexico. It ranks 3rd of 32 in the state.
What do renters pay in Santa Fe County?
$1,389 a month at the median, about 21% of median household income.
Should Santa Fe County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 72% of Santa Fe County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
Does this page cover Santa Fe?
Yes, along with the other 52 Census places in Santa Fe County, such as Española, Eldorado at Santa Fe, La Cienega.
Is the fit check different in Santa Fe County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.